A variety of conventional pieces of machinery (such as chippers and pieces of manufacturing equipment), vehicles (such as automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, boats, and aircraft), powered systems (such as lawnmowers, snowblowers, and ovens), and the like perform self-diagnostic tests before their operation is enabled. For example, conventional pieces of machinery, vehicles, powered systems, and the like may perform self-diagnostic tests of fluid levels, operating temperatures, the presence of safety devices, and the like before their operation is enabled. This helps to ensure the operational safety of such powered systems.
However, the leading cause of injury associated with these powered systems is human error, referred to herein as operator/user error, caused by a lack of adequate safety training and a lack of familiarity with proper safety procedures. The adequacy of such safety training and the familiarity of an operator/user with proper safety procedures is often a central issue in injury-related investigations, disputes, and litigation.
Thus, what is needed is a system and associated methods that ensure that an operator/user has had adequate safety training and is familiar with proper safety procedures before he or she is allowed to operate a piece of machinery, a vehicle, a powered system, or the like which poses a significant risk of injury to the operator/user and/or others. What is needed is a system that is capable of selectively enabling/disabling the operation of a powered system depending upon the results of testing designed to determine the adequacy of the safety training and familiarity of the operator/user with proper safety procedures. What is also needed is a system that is capable of storing the results of this testing, either locally or remotely, and, optionally, issuing operator/user identification codes such that properly trained operators/users may circumvent subsequent testing. These operator/user identification codes must be secure if the overall training/safety goals of a manufacturer and/or an employer are to be achieved.